Technology designed for women exploded in 2016, with new products hitting the market ranging from wearable trackers for expectant mothers to networking apps to help female professionals get ahead. "The online consumer market of women is a new phenomenon" in part because investors are waking up to the opportunity, says Anu Duggal, founding partner of the Female Founders Fund, a firm that invests in women-led startups. "The purchasing power of women is massive and becoming clearer."

Many of the female founders that made our list struggled for years to raise capital, but were able to convince investors in their vision through persistence and creativity (and of course, a solid business pitch). Miki Agrawal from Thinx, a period underwear maker, tells us she requested that one of her male investors wear a maxi pad during an entire meeting to get him to empathize with what women experience. Others like Morena Simatic, cofounder of wearables startup Bellabeat, had little trouble raising financing for a product designed specifically for women rather than a pink version of an existing product.

Five years ago, Harvard Business Review conducted a landmark survey of professional women and found that most felt vastly underserved in the marketplace compared to men. That's starting to change. "Women were a neglected category, until recently," says Simatic.

To compile this list, we asked a range of investors and entrepreneurs and solicited feedback from dozens of women. Here are their picks, in no particular order.8. SEX AND SEXUAL HEALTH: FORIA

Two words: Vaginal cannabis. Many of the women we spoke to raved about Foria Relief, a cocoa butter-based cannabis for the vagina that is designed to help with menstrual cramps and other sexual health issues. That accompanies Foria Pleasure, a product that aims to increase sexual pleasure through a lubricant spray. As one happy customer described the experience: "(It was) like my vagina was kicking back on the beach in Mexico, without a care in the world." Sex and sexual health is a notoriously underfunded space, but Foria has garnered rave reviews from users and continues to sell well in Colorado and California.

I Tried 5 Alternative Period Cramp Cures and Here's What Actually Worked

Five months, five methods, no ibuprofen.

By Hannah Smothers | Dec 01, 2016

"Foria is a newish company that’s either totally outrageous or doing the Lord’s work, depending on how you want to look at it."

According to a report from CNN, pain management is the most commonly prescribed use for medical marijuana in the United States. Foria's website says their little butter-encased suppository works to "directly impact the immune system and the nerve endings of the uterus, cervix, ovaries and surrounding smooth muscle tissues." Or in other words, it targets all the parts of you that hurt while you're on your period and tries to relax them.

...

The best instruction, though, was the one that said I should lie down for a while and relax. After cultivating my perfect vagina-weed environment, I messaged my editor, “ok it’s weed time,” and shoved the suppository into my vagina, with the help of a tampon applicator.

...

The accompanying instructions told me I shouldn’t necessarily feel high. But let me tell you. I felt high. Not, like, I-can’t-perform-my-job-anymore-today high, but definitely things-are-funny!!!! high. I ate my cookie and then also ate approximately 45 Annie’s white cheddar bunnies. And then also I ordered a sandwich. But! I totally felt no pain. My cramps, which had been firing away at full blast, subsided as my weed butter melted in my vagina.

In short, I loved these little THC butter bullets. Not quite enough to move to California (I don’t trust a state with that much sunshine), but definitely enough to hoard my remaining three for days when my cramps are truly awful.

MY RATING:

Four "bowing deeply" emojis, because I was truly in awe of this weed butter vagina experience.

Why are Women Putting Cannabis in their Vaginas

American company Foria have started marketing suppositories that claim to help women ease their period pains. They say they work because, "the pelvic region contains more cannabinoid receptors than any other part of the body except for the brain."

I had just returned from a girls weekend getaway in Ojai. It was Monday, April 20th. Half Baked was on repeat on the Esquire Channel. My Timberado Peace Pipe in rotation with my dude on the couch.

Cannabis is a constant in our lives: me as a writer and filmmaker, him as an enthusiast and a home grower. We love to smoke together: on morning walks with the dog, in the mountains, before dinner out, during dinner in, watching films, pre-sex and post-sex. Now we can even enjoy cannabis during sex.

In January, he got a free Foria sample at the Winter X Games in Aspen. Our first experience was fun—him pouring the entire tester size vile directly on me and in me, and us immediately getting down. It was great sex (as per usual), but I didn’t have that euphoric, mind blowing orgasm that so many of the sensationalized reviews of this cannabis-laced lubricant product were touting when it first launched.

A few days later, we went to Native Roots Apothecary to purchase our own bottle. Foria was first released exclusively at the successful chain of dispensaries in Colorado and today, it’s available at 50 dispensaries throughout the state and at 100 medical dispensaries in California. The cannabis oil blended with liquid coconut oil is chemical and pesticide-free, but keep in mind it’s not recommended for use with latex condoms. The cherry on top, if you will? It’s safe to ingest and gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan.

Honestly, we have only used it about three times over the past few months, including the one time I used it solo for some entertainment on one of my frequent drives from Aspen to Denver. I liked using it, had solid orgasms with it, but still wasn’t completely sold.

Using it on 4/20 was different. After five days away, we were obviously craving each other. Plus, I had official research to do. In anticipation of him coming over after working late, I applied it myself in the bathroom. The recommended usage is to “apply 3-5 sprays directly onto the clitoris, inner and outer labia, and inside the vagina. Internal application provides the highest absorption.” I’ve discovered that the more sprays, the better—just ensure all of your lady parts are sufficiently coated (8 is my magic number). In just minutes, I started to feel aroused. Partly due to the anticipation of having sex with him and partly due to the warm sensation I felt in my vagina.

The natural position I defaulted to in putting it on myself forces the bottle upside down, which makes for an uneven spray and causes leakage. It’s a far easier application when he applies it during foreplay. In Colorado, the cost is $50 for a 10ML bottle and $100 for a 30ML bottle with medical cardholders getting a slight discount ($44 and $88, respectively). It’s a high price point for lubrication and even for a cannabis product, so the design could use an update. Without a strong seal, the oil has already started to erase the brand stamp on the exterior. But the black box it comes in is tastefully imprinted with a tiny gold pot leaf and lettering—giving it a sleek and sexy look and making it perfect as a gift for your wife, best friend, or that bride-to-be.

Foria also instructs to “allow 30-40 minutes to relax and fully absorb the medicine—a great time for foreplay or sensual massage.” I had timed it perfectly. After a few hits on the couch, we started kissing and then pretty much ran to my bedroom, kicking things into high gear. Clearly more lubricated than in my natural state, I was more DTF than ever. A common misconception in the world of cannabis-infused topicals is that they make you high. They don’t. What Foria does do is heighten the sense of awareness in the best place possible. For this skeptic, the effects finally started to feel real. The third time was a charm. I was super sensitive and as he started licking me, my entire body started to feel the buzz. Focus also comes with using Foria, making sex feel deeper, more intense and like it could last forever. After a marathon romp, we both came together, my orgasm this time something of a marijuana miracle. I was left shaking and then, ridiculously relaxed. I get it now.

As for him, more than anything, it provides a great alternative lubricant. If your lady requires a little extra help, the price point probably keeps it from being used as a primary aid. As a cannabis connoisseur, I love it. It’s experiencing marijuana in a totally new and different way. Since marijuana is something both of us already appreciate together, using it adds another level of enjoyment. And I like the taste of it—the oil isn’t overpowering, but is definitely noticeable, somewhat similar to the lingering taste in edibles or a tincture. But whether you’re high or not while using Foria? One doesn’t have an effect on the other. It just adds another pleasurable element to a hot, stoned sex sesh.

After the last few nights of reviewing this product, Foria is likely going to become another constant in our lives.

Care to add to the conversation?

"Sex and the ability to orgasm have always been a very important part of my wellness protocol, especially after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer robbed me of some of my, shall we say, womanly juiciness.

I started using this therapeutic cannabis oil called Foria as a supplement to enhance pleasure. It actually created deeper, more satisfying, multiple orgasms for me. Many times, masturbation with Foria is just what a single lady needs to get her day going! I'm so grateful because having a fabulous orgasm serves me physically, mentally, and emotionally." -- Leslie G.

How can we get out of our heads and more into our bodies? How can we let our guards down and open ourselves to each other emotionally and sensually?

This is a major problem for couples nowadays. We all have issues letting ourselves go and enjoy the moments.

That is where intimacy lies, and it’s what we all want for our relationships. Many couples have found that bringing cannabis into the bedroom facilitates the very connection they want and need. Well, I had a very good friend show me FORIA when I was visiting them in California. Of course, it peaked my interest!

Marijuana-infused lubricants are an emerging market and for good reason. Although applying a cannabis on the skin does not result in any sort of psychoactive effect, but it can still have a profound physical impact. FORIA is a THC-based, all-natural lubricant that claims to help women have a stronger orgasm as well as greater access to the big O.

FORIA is easy to use because you just spray it in and around your lady parts about 30 minutes before action. I will testify that it does leave you more lubricated, relaxed, and just all in the moment. It will make your experience a more enjoyable experience and one that will cause you to always use FORIA!

It is only available in CA and CO but worth trying especially coming from the mouth of this housewife!

We’re going to talk about Foria, the newest cannabis product to hit Colorado shelves. While we’re familiar with edibles and different strains of flower, this is a new future for marijuana. Sex lube.

The fact that there’s something to help women experience new sexual pleasures is amazing no matter if it’s cannabis-laden or not.

Bill and I have a really great time together regularly. We’re not the “in the missionary position with the lights off for the sole purpose of procreation” type. So, I’ll leave it at that. I’m not trying to fix anything with Foria or needing any miracle libido cures. We’re good.

We smoke out each and every time we get it on. We’re daily smokers, always at night, high before sex and then an after sex smoke. There are strains that have absolutely killed our libidos, what we affectionately call “sleepy weed,” and there are strains that reinforce it. But there has rarely been a strain that actually enhances our drives. Bill seems to vaguely remember it happening once, but can’t remember the strain since it was years ago. So, we’ll just say that it’s a part of our regular sexual experience either way.

We used it on our crazy Friday nights and we tested it out on a regular old Tuesday nights. Because of this testing, we now have a new inside sex joke, “hey, do you want a Tuesday on a Monday? wink, wink.”

Friday Night

Friday nights are not typical nights, other than we do this every Friday. They are fueled by tequila cocktails, blunts, and “fun pills” (you’re going to have to read a different blog about those, and it’s already in the works to launch in a couple of weeks). We just added Foria to the mix to see what would happen.

The directions state:

Allow at least 30 minutes to up to an hour to relax and fully absorb the medicine – a great time for foreplay and sensual massage. Pleasure yourself alone or with a partner as you desire.

Eating a good meal 1-2 hours before might impact efficacy, as THC is fat soluble. As with all use of medical marijuana, plan your day accordingly and be safe.

Soooo, they make it sound like my pussy is about to get stoned. Awesome. Bill suggested I go with 8 sprays.

“I pretty much did 12 trying to make sure I got it inside” I replied in a text to him as he was downstairs. “It’s been 10 minutes since the sprays. Fuck yeah, science!”

Clearly, we were excited for testing.

A lot of awesome things went on. Things were more enhanced. More sensitivity, more blood flow, more wet, more of everything (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). My notes at the end, “Overall – fucking five stars.”

Wednesday Night

Now, I know we couldn’t judge this on a Friday night experience alone, and I suspected that “warming up” with the oil for at least 30 minutes probably helps a lot of women relax and get into it. So we tested it out on a Wednesday night – no tequila cocktails, no blunts (but we did smoke a bit before).

“Awesome orgasm. Not comparable to Friday night, although still amazing,” were the notes.

So, there’s an average weekday experience. I didn’t think the oil made a difference one way or the other this time. I was beginning to think that Foria was giving women a placebo effect.

Monday Night

We tested it out again on another weekday night, and Mondays are the nights that we’re both typically spent, tired from working all day, and not rolling around in the sheets. I couldn’t think of a more perfect day to test efficacy of enhancement oil.

It was incredible. I think the biggest difference is how it makes it easier to do more of the things you maybe already do, or hope to do. Enhancement is the perfect word for all of this. This is next level oil. I think the key is an excited, encouraging mental state, though.

“I don’t know if it’s the oil or me,” I told Bill afterward.

“It’s the oil. After ****ing you thousands of times, knowing you more than anyone else, it’s the oil,” he replied.

Below are excerpts from this article, to read the full article click here.

Doing sex on Foria

It's tough for intercourse to be bad, but it was definitely better than usual for me. At this point, the Foria was starting to affect her. "It's not like a body or a head high” you'd get from smoking, she said. Rather, the pleasure was localized to her privates.

...

From my perspective, it looked like she was experiencing the strongest orgasm she'd ever had. Her face looked like she was in another world. She had about five orgasms, after which she started crying. I asked her, “These are tears of joy, right?” Thankfully, she said they were AND PEOPLE CAN'T LIE ABOUT THAT STUFF.

...

Orgasms on Foria

I'll just let her explain: “An orgasm with Foria feels like the most amazing thing your body has ever felt in your whole life. I can't explain it -- it's out of this world. And I truly mean that. It leaves you feeling breathless.”

...

"I could feel all the pain and stress being released from my body. Normally when I have orgasms, it's great, but this time it was emotional.” She felt cleansed.

...

“This is what orgasms should be. They should release you. A lot of women don't let their whole body naturally get into sex because there's all sorts of insecurities holding them back, and it stops them from having that sort of release that men have. It's important for women to have that too. This is a game-changer.”

...

What she felt like afterwards

“I'm still feeling jubilant. I'm still feeling a high, but not in the sense of a drug high.” Even 10 minutes after we'd finished, she was still trying to catch her breath.

...

She's not kidding. She laughed, she cried, and she made me jealous that the best sexual enhancement drug men have just gives you a boner for four hours.

For those who love cannabis and love sex, the thought of combining the two is pretty titillating.

Feb 11, 2015 | Susan Squibb "The Cannabis Maven" via Elephant Journal

With all the excitement of a commercially available cannabis sex oil, is the excitement true or is it hype?

For the enticing product review, I gave three samples to three enthusiastic women to test solo and with their partners for 10 days. Then, the women shared their opinions, the scope of their experiences and the quality of the product as measured by answering an extensive review. (To assure confidentiality, their names have been changed to Goddess names, Venus, Athena and Hera!)

Venus shared the waiting time before sex was different for her too, but it heightened the anticipation.

“One night I applied it, walked out into the living room and giving my best bedroom eyes, I looked at my lover and said, ‘I’m marinating.’

"It was really quite hysterical and exciting. After that it was most difficult to wait but we did! That’s when I took a bong rip and got super high. F*ck yeah."

...

“While marinating, I was all kinds of tingly. I wanted to see if I could get high through my vagina. I think I did, but it was pretty mild.”

Overall, “our bodies were looser and more relaxed. I recall having a screaming orgasm that time.”

...

Athena said, “I think my pussy did feel high, if that’s possible! She felt very soft, warm, tingly and relaxed. Same with my partner—he didn’t feel high after oral. I definitely felt heightened sensations in both my clitoris and inside my vagina—very subtle but noticeable.

"I felt more engorged in both areas with slight tingling sensation. My partner said he thought my vagina felt tighter, caressed him more fully when he was inside me.”

...

Two goddess reviewers were very excited by Foria and one thinks it’s mostly hype.